


gardens

by Balthuza



Series: spindleweed and elfroot smoke [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-11 21:10:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11722623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Balthuza/pseuds/Balthuza
Summary: Var never really liked Skyhold’s garden much. It’s too public, too… representative.





	gardens

Herbert Trevelyan belongs to [Liryczna](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Liryczna/)

Seph Lavellan belongs to [Nenka](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Nenka)

 

Var never really liked Skyhold’s garden much. It’s too public, too… representative. There is mother Giselle, who always looks like she’s half a minute before approaching him for a serious conversation, the guests fill it to bursting with chatter, andrastians arrive at the chapel at odd times and sing like they believe if they just howl loudly enough their god is going to come back.

Personally Var thought that their Maker might actually do just that if they keep up at it, if only to tell them to shut up already. 

After Corypheus is dead, there are still loose ends to be tied, and it is maddening just how much time it takes. 

He thought the Final Battle was supposed to be the end, but apparently there’s always something, and that one evening when they all were together was the only moment of respite they’ve earned.

Still, at least Herbert had some more free time now - Var can’t help but be thankful for small miracles, knowing the man had earned it ten times over. That does not mean that he’ll just simply rest, of course.

When he comes back to Skyhold, Seph laughing him off easily when he decided to hunt something before coming back (‘Well, don’t come nagging me if you won’t find anything to eat!’ Var calls after her, already with the bow in his hands), Herbert is already by the main gate. He smells of herbs and royal elfroot that Var keeps only for great occasions, of mint, embrium and other things, and Var breathes him in like elfroot smoke.

The garden is nothing like he remembers. It’s full of colors and smells and even the guests aren’t so annoying, when he watches Herbert and Cullen work, sometimes throwing in a comment or two if he can help, or, more often, tease them about something (the hats are a target so easy that Var can’t even joke about them.) Gradually, he spends more and more of his time down there, occasionally still running to hide on his roof, but allowing Herbert’s presence to outweigh his issues with the garden. 

It doesn’t take him long to put the pieces together. Suddenly, one day, it just clicks and Var understands what Cole was talking about. Slowly, he manages to draw the connections, and realise there’s something missing.

Of course Herbert forgot about himself. At this point Var isn’t sure why he’s even surprised.

At first he plants a single spindleweed in the garden, that almost goes unnoticed. Herbert works in his garden and Var observes them for two hours, before he snorts, and makes a plan.

It takes a while, but every night he sneaks up to plant another spindleweed. One, two, three by the healers, another two by the tavern’s windows. Another few appear by the fire, main gates and stables. 

Var likes them, the way Herbert’s eyes light up when they can stock it up for the infirmary, the way their scent seems to seep into the stone. When Herbert wakes up to Var trying to quietly sneak away, he just asks whether it wouldn’t be easier to plant things in the morning. Var just snorts, says no, and disappears outside their quarters. 

The next morning Var asks Herbert if maybe he could help him plant some of his plants back where he used to smoke on the roof. They spend the rest of the day there, Herbert remembering about the plants only as the sun started to set.

Apparently, planting things in the dark isn’t so hard after all.

The roof, against all odds, blooms, and Var takes again to hiding there whenever he can, only this time it’s no longer a secret. Still, surrounded by all the plants Herbert grew, finding him there with a book, eating cookies with Sera or just sitting peacefully with Cole is hardly something he’ll say not to.

In the end he asks Gatsi to make some sort of steps, instead of just a line, to get there, and the dwarf looks at him like he lost his mind, but finally agrees. Var can’t help but be grateful for the way they match seamlessly with the walls, making it almost impossible to find it if one doesn’t know where to look.

Herbert almost falls down the very first time he tries them, and, after some consideration, they decide to keep the line.

 


End file.
